How to Create Inclusive Web Designs: Accessibility Best Practices for 2025

Creating an inclusive web experience isn’t just about following guidelines. It’s about making sure every visitor, regardless of ability, can engage with and navigate your site effortlessly. With accessibility standards evolving, it’s essential to stay informed and build digital spaces that welcome everyone.

Understanding WCAG 2.2: What’s New?

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 builds on its predecessor, bringing new recommendations to address common usability challenges. If you’re already familiar with WCAG 2.1, you’ll notice refinements aimed at enhancing navigation, cognition, and mobile usability.

Key updates in WCAG 2.2 include:

• Focus Appearance (AA & AAA levels): Ensuring keyboard focus indicators are visible and meet contrast requirements.
• Dragging Movements: Providing alternative ways to interact with draggable content, assisting users with motor impairments.
• Consistent Navigation: Standardizing repeated elements so users don’t get lost in inconsistencies.
• Accessible Authentication: Eliminating cognitive burdens like solving puzzles, ensuring users can log in with ease.

Ignoring these updates can leave users stranded. Think about a visually impaired user who relies on clear focus indicators or someone with dexterity challenges struggling with drag-and-drop interactions. By implementing WCAG 2.2, you’re not just compliant. You’re creating a space where users feel empowered.

Keyboard Navigation and Screen Reader Compatibility

A surprising number of users rely solely on a keyboard to navigate websites. Whether it’s due to motor impairments or personal preference, a well-implemented keyboard-friendly design ensures accessibility for everyone.

What does this mean in practice?

• Logical tab order: Users should move through content in a natural, sequential way.
• Clear focus indicators: A strong visual cue (such as a high-contrast outline) should highlight where the focus currently is.
• No keyboard traps: Every element must allow users to exit using only their keyboard.

Screen reader compatibility goes hand in hand with keyboard navigation. These assistive tools rely on semantic HTML and ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to convey information effectively.

Best practices include:

• Proper heading structures: <h1> for primary headings, <h2>-<h6> for subsections. Never skipping levels.
• ARIA landmarks: Using <nav>, <main>, and <footer> to help screen readers quickly navigate the page.
• Alternative text descriptions: Ensuring meaningful alt attributes for images, explaining their purpose rather than just describing them superficially.

Color Contrast and Typography: Making Content Readable

Ever struggled to read light gray text on a white background? For users with low vision or color blindness, this isn’t just annoying. It’s exclusionary.

To ensure readability:

• Aim for 4.5:1 contrast between text and background (WCAG’s AA standard).
• Use 18pt font or 14pt bold if lower contrast (3:1) is necessary.
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning. Add labels or icons.

Typography plays an equally significant role. Overly decorative fonts may look stylish but can hinder readability. Stick with simple, legible typefaces like Roboto, Arial, or Open Sans. Spacing also matters. Allow for ample line height (at least 1.5x the font size) and letter spacing to prevent crowding.

Testing and Auditing Tools for Accessibility

How do you know if your website meets accessibility standards? Testing tools provide critical insights to identify and fix accessibility barriers.

Some of the most reliable options include:

• WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): Highlights accessibility violations visually.
• Axe DevTools: A browser extension for catching WCAG issues in real time.
• Lighthouse (Google Chrome): Offers accessibility scores and improvement suggestions.
• NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access): A free screen reader for Windows that allows you to experience your site from a visually impaired perspective.

Automated tools can only do so much, though. Manual testing with real users remains invaluable. Partnering with individuals who navigate the web using screen readers or keyboard controls brings authentic feedback that automated scans might miss.

Accessible Web Design Done Right

Some organizations go above and beyond to ensure their digital spaces are welcoming to all users. Consider the Government of Canada’s website, which serves millions of citizens with a commitment to accessibility. Their site features:

• Strong keyboard navigation support
• Clear language free of jargon
• WCAG 2.2 compliance across all pages
• Multiple language and reading options, including text-to-speech support

Another standout example is Apple, which has built comprehensive accessibility features into its ecosystem. The Apple website shines with:

• High-contrast options
• Screen reader compatibility
• Customizable display settings for users with vision impairments

Their efforts don’t just follow guidelines. They set the bar for inclusive design.

Final Thoughts

Accessibility isn’t about checkboxes. It’s about creating a space where every user, regardless of ability, can fully engage with your content. By integrating WCAG 2.2 best practices, refining keyboard navigation, ensuring strong contrast, and utilizing the right audit tools, you’re not just making a website. You’re building a more inclusive web.

Want to ensure your site is truly accessible? Start with an audit. Run your pages through testing tools, gather real-user feedback, and refine continuously. The web is meant for everyone. Let’s make sure we design it that way.